The Resolution adopted today puts the unfortunate events of July 3 in proper perspective.

Vernon A. Walters, United States Representative at the UN

Today, the UN Security Council adopted a mild resolution regarding the downing of an Iranian airliner by the USS Vincennes, causing the instant death of 290 people including 66 children.

The resolution merely expresses deep distress and profound regret for the loss of innocent lives. The text does not criticize of the United States for its action in the Persian Gulf.

Tehran representative at the UN had demanded an apology from the US, legal reparations to the families of the victims as well as the immediate departure of US forces from the Gulf.

Intelligence

In a statement read on Tehran radio, Ayatollah Khomeini confirmed that he had accepted the proposed cease-fire with Iraq. Khomeini had always said that he would never accept such cease-fire, even if ordered by the UN Security Council, for making peace with a criminal is a crime against Islam.

Khomeini was vague on the reasons behind his decision. He said that he agreed at the urging of high ranking military and political experts. The individuals were not named. Khomeini added that some incidents and factors had motivated his decision. He merely added that this would become clear in the future.

US Intelligence officials are reporting the health of the Supreme leader is deteriorating rapidly. They allege that he is suffering from liver cancer. There are even rumor that he would be dead. NB. According to a well informed and trusted source, Khomeini was not suffering from liver cancer.

Back to the Present (2008)

In June of last year, Megrahi was granted by the SCCRC an extraordinary appeal on the basis that his conviction may have been unsafe. Amazingly, no date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the appeal. Why does it now seem impossible that a judgment would be delivered by the twentieth anniversary of the disaster on 21 December 2008? According to Pr. Black, the answer is quite simple.

“The Crown, in the person of the Lord Advocate, and the United Kingdom Government, in the person of the Advocate General for Scotland, have been resorting to every delaying tactic in the book. And where a particular obstructionist wheeze isn’t in the book, they have been asking the court to rewrite the book to insert it,” Black wrote

“The judges on a number of occasions have expressed disquiet at the Crown’s dilatoriness; but have so far done nothing meaningful to curb it. This must end. The delay is becoming scandalous. The reputation of Scotland’s criminal justice system is being further tarnished in the eyes of the world,” Black added.

“It is absolutely clear, to even the most docile, that we have an innocent man languishing in a Scottish Prison, put there by individuals who have performed every deceitful illegal manoeuvre available, manipulated the due course of Law, suppressed vital and legitimate evidence and capitulated to the subterfuge of International Politics and Governments,” an observer wrote on his blog